Flight IH703 Crash into Mount Serra Alta (I-TAVI)

Flight Details and Departure Flight IH703 was a scheduled domestic service operating between Pescara Airport and Rome-Ciampino. The aircraft departed Rome at 1526 GMT and took off from Pescara at 1736 hours on an instrument flight rules plan. The flight climbed to flight level 100, which served as its cruising altitude. The initial portion of the route was flown south of the direct path to avoid heavy cloud formations. The crew consisted of pilot Ernesto Roggero, copilot Erminio Carlo Bonfanti, and steward Luigi Politta. The five passengers were Leonbruno Angeloni, Marco Di Michele, Marvin Walter Gelber, Nicolò Marcello, and Guido Mancini. ## Radar Contact and Navigation Issues At 1739 hours, the pilot requested radar guidance from the Pescara defence radar FIONDA, a service not normally provided to civil aircraft. The radar first detected the flight in the Ortona area at 1750 hours. Around 1803 hours, the flight was directed to proceed on a heading of 265 degrees toward Ciampino, a distance of 80 nautical miles. The pilot reported this position to Rome ACC/FIC at 1805 hours. After guiding the aircraft around cumulonimbus clouds, the Pescara defence radar lost the aircraft at 1812 hours. At 1816 hours, the pilot asked whether the aircraft had been picked up by the Rome surveillance radar. Two minutes later, he reported crossing the eastern edge of airway A 14 and requested clearance to Rome NDB LJ. ## Final Approach and Loss of Contact At 1822 hours, the pilot reported having Rome in sight and requested authorization to descend from flight level 100. After confirmation, the flight was cleared to proceed to Rome NDB and descend to 6,000 feet. At 1828 hours, the pilot reconfirmed visual contact with Rome and requested further descent clearance. The flight was instructed to contact Ciampino tower but could not establish communication on the tower frequency or on 120.1 or 124.1 MC/S, returning to the Rome ACC/FIC frequency. At 1830 hours, the pilot reported an inability to tune the Rome NDB and stated that he had to remain out of the clouds because his radio compass was not working properly. The Rome 2 defence radar, which had first picked up the flight around 1802 hours, lost its trace in the Arpino area. Around 1832 hours, the pilot reported being in the vicinity of Mount Cavo, where he could see the antennae. One minute later, the flight lost visual contact with the ground. Believing his radio compass was out of order, the pilot requested clearance to proceed on Ostia VOR. At 1835 hours, he was cleared to Ostia VOR at 6,000 feet but reported that his VOR was not giving reliable information. He stated he would fly on a heading of 270 degrees and break over the sea. This was the last message from the aircraft. ## Accident Site and Casualties The aircraft was found on a very steep slope on the southeast side of Mount Serra Alta at an elevation of 1,630 meters. All eight occupants were killed.